Meet Christina Brous | Stop Motion Animator and Multimedia Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Brous and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, what role has risk played in your life or career?
There is always a certain amount of risk involved any time you follow your passions, especially when it comes to your career. Growing up, you’re usually going to be told to choose a “safe” career and definitely not a career in the arts. Most people assume you won’t find steady work or make any money, but with the right amount of perseverance and knowledge in your craft, you can make it work and be that much better off because you’ve chosen to do something you find fulfilling and worthwhile.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I mainly work as a Stop Motion Animator and I’m currently most excited to be animating on Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ for Netflix. It’s a beautiful film and I get to work with some of the most talented artists in the world which is a major dream come true!

Working in Animation is so rewarding and you get to work with some really amazing people. Progressing in my career hasn’t always been an easy ride, though. The film industry is full of uncertainty and can be especially trying if you’re a woman or bipoc. There are times when you question if it’s worth it, but every industry has it’s issues and you just have to decide if its right for you. My advice for anyone going into animation or the film industry is to know your worth, find your people, and persevere. Try to work on projects you really love and your work will speak for itself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love hanging out in Little Tokyo, so I would definitely start there! I could spend hours just walking around with some Boba and checking out all the cute stores. Shin-Sen-Gumi has some of the best Ramen I’ve ever had, and for dessert I’d head over to Yamazaki Bakery for some sweet buns.

If you’re feeling outdoorsy, I’d head over to Griffith park for some hiking, and definitely check out the world-famous Griffith Observatory. And speaking of attractions near Griffith, I spent so many weekends of my childhood going to the LA Zoo with my Dad. If I had friends with kids visiting, the Zoo would be a must-see.

Of course, you have to check out some museums while you’re in town. The LACMA is the largest art museum on the west coast full and is always worth a trip, I’ve been there many times. My other favorite museum to go to that is very specific to the area is the LA Brea Tar Pits which is still an active excavation site as well as a museum!

Finally, after a long day of sightseeing, one of my favorite places to wind down and get drinks and dinner with friends is the historic, Tam O’Shanter in Atwater Village. You’re really stepping into LA history when you dine here. There’s even a plaque above one of the tables designating it as Walt Disney’s official table when he’d eat there!

There’s so much to do in LA and the surrounding areas and these are just some of my favorite things to do in town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m dedicating this shout-out to Musa Brooker, my mentor and former professor, who is always ready to help and support his students in any way he can no matter how busy he is. He is a great teacher and friend and I’m seriously lucky to know him!

Website: http://www.christinabrous.com/

Instagram: @xtinanimation